Does anybody know what is goinfg to be put in the old FUNdamentals area in gate 3

GregoryEtc

03-23-2005, 04:39 PM

How about a Craig Grebeck-tossing booth?

SoxWillWin

03-23-2005, 05:03 PM

weren't they going to enclose that and turn it into the restaurant for the scout seating??

mdep524

03-23-2005, 05:28 PM

weren't they going to enclose that and turn it into the restaurant for the scout seating?? Yeah, I believe they were going to use that area for the much needed additional exclusive restaurant that fans have demanded for years.

I want Mags back

03-23-2005, 05:59 PM

oh ok thats cool

whitesoxwilkes

03-23-2005, 06:03 PM

Yeah, I believe they were going to use that area for the much needed additional exclusive restaurant that fans have demanded for years.

MDep, take a look around the majors. There are a LOT of parks that have the premium seating and food as part of their offerings. Dodger Stadium and Busch immediately come to mind.

The_Cheesiest_Idiot

03-23-2005, 06:22 PM

MDep, take a look around the majors. There are a LOT of parks that have the premium seating and food as part of their offerings. Dodger Stadium and Busch immediately come to mind.

why do we have to be like other parks?

CHISOXFAN13

03-23-2005, 07:25 PM

why do we have to be like other parks?

What else should go there then? It's not like that area is all that large anyway.

I guess some people don't understand how much revenue the Sox will make from scout seating and the restaurant that comes with it.

mealfred13

03-23-2005, 07:27 PM

How about a Craig Grebeck-tossing booth?

Hahaha.....Am I the only one who finds this funny?:D:

GiveMeSox

03-23-2005, 10:44 PM

MDep, take a look around the majors. There are a LOT of parks that have the premium seating and food as part of their offerings. Dodger Stadium and Busch immediately come to mind.

Wrigley did the same thing this year. THey have some sort of new premium seating with wait service like right on the field next to the dugouts.

ewokpelts

03-24-2005, 11:25 AM

Wrigley did the same thing this year. THey have some sort of new premium seating with wait service like right on the field next to the dugouts.
wrigley's cost 250, and no wait service
comiskey's 200 (as low as 175) with wait service, and buffet(the high priced kind) and booze!
Which one do you want?
Gene

mdep524

03-24-2005, 11:34 AM

MDep, take a look around the majors. There are a LOT of parks that have the premium seating and food as part of their offerings. Dodger Stadium and Busch immediately come to mind. True, and I have been a big advocate of filling in the umpires tunnel with seats for years. But to add a second exclusive restaurant seemed excessive, seeing as we already have the Stadium Club in right field. Plus the manner in which they designed the Scout Seats displaced season ticket holders behind home plate who have been loyal to the organization for years. All I am saying is they could have handled the whole situation better.

FightingBillini

03-24-2005, 11:50 AM

True, and I have been a big advocate of filling in the umpires tunnel with seats for years. But to add a second exclusive restaurant seemed excessive, seeing as we already have the Stadium Club in right field. Plus the manner in which they designed the Scout Seats displaced season ticket holders behind home plate who have been loyal to the organization for years. All I am saying is they could have handled the whole situation better.
I agree, it did get kind of messy with the season ticket holders. I support them putting in the scout seats; whatever they can do to make money is fine with me. I know they will sell out most or all of the seats. The thing that concerns me is whether or not they will be used. Even if the entire section sells out for the whole year, I envision plenty of empty seats. Even if seats are free for some people, I dont envision that section being at full capacity for the Devil Rays. Obviously, I would jump at the chance to go to every game I could, but for people who would be getting these seats from work, and who go all the time, they are likely to say "eh, its raining" or "eh, I dont really feel like going today" because they aren't losing any money anyway.

What I believe the Sox should do is pick people at random out of the crowd to sit at in the scout seats that are still empty by the 4th inning or something like that. They could call it "scout for a day", and just announce seat numbers over the loudspeakers. The seats are already paid for, so the Sox wont be losing money. Also, it will create good will and good pub. Any kid who gets to sit right behind home plate like that and be mere feet from the Big Hurt will be a Sox fan for life. More importantly, that section will always be full. Even if the rest of the park is full, a low turnout in that section will look horrible on TV.
:pee:giangreco
"The infamous empty blue chairs were replaced with empty green chairs. You can see there are about three people who cared enough to sit in seats they paid $200 for. Talk about fan support!"

mdep524

03-24-2005, 12:28 PM

What I believe the Sox should do is pick people at random out of the crowd to sit at in the scout seats that are still empty by the 4th inning or something like that. They could call it "scout for a day", and just announce seat numbers over the loudspeakers. The seats are already paid for, so the Sox wont be losing money. Also, it will create good will and good pub. Any kid who gets to sit right behind home plate like that and be mere feet from the Big Hurt will be a Sox fan for life. More importantly, that section will always be full. Even if the rest of the park is full, a low turnout in that section will look horrible on TV. Funny that you mention this, as it was going to be my next post! Now that I think about it, I think you and I both had this idea before. Anyway, I think it would be a much better situation that way. Instead of just catering to profits and the rich corporate types, here would be my idea:

Give away at least one row of seats to real fans who bought upper deck tickets to the game. I've seen this done at concerts- where diehard fans in the cheap seats are rewarded with free and unexpected upgrades to front row seats.

This is done on one condition: keeping in mind they will be on TV and this is NOT Wrigley Field, the fans plucked from the upper deck have to agree not to talk on their cell phone and wave to the camera. It's a trade off any real fan would make to get those great seats!

This accomplishes a lot of things: first, it is a great gesture of good will toward the fans, which is very important. Second, it is extra incentive for fans to buy upper deck tickets ("hey, you never know, we might get bumped up!"). Third, it assures that the seats behind home plate, which make up like 90% of a telecast on TV, are filled, making the park appear much better. (and they won't be hooting and hollering on their cell phones waving at the camera during every pitch).

Sure, the team might get a little less profit out of this, but wouldn't it be worth it?

mweflen

03-24-2005, 01:57 PM

All compliants about exclusive/overpriced seating sections and restaurants will become moot If AND ONLY IF the Sox actually win anything. Even getting to the playoffs would be a nice start. Had these renovations been anounced in 2001, you'd have heard nary a peep.

That said, I think it's crap and I think it represents a negative direction for the team and its fan base. Instead of taking broad-ranging and well publicized steps to make Comiskey a budget destination, they're going in the opposite direction. They piss off existing season ticketholders, eliminate popular seating for the general public, and risk the aforementioned empty seat syndrome, which would be awful publicity.

I disagree with marketing doublespeak that says that the "brand image" of the White Sox improves as ticket prices and premium services increase, thus making them more desirable. While this sort of 'branding theory' may work on things like consumer electronics (look at LG and Samsung in recent years), it just does not apply to sports franchises that are deeply rooted in the history of a place and populace. Sox fans, who are by and large a notoriously spendthrift bunch (to their credit, IMHO), won't eat $#!* and call it ice cream, they'll see it for what it is - one in a long series of money grabs that rarely translate into either increased payroll or increased winning.

That said, I think it's crap and I think it represents a negative direction for the team and its fan base. Instead of taking broad-ranging and well publicized steps to make Comiskey a budget destination, they're going in the opposite direction. They piss off existing season ticketholders, eliminate popular seating for the general public, and risk the aforementioned empty seat syndrome, which would be awful publicity.

Sox fans, who are by and large a notoriously spendthrift bunch (to their credit, IMHO), won't eat $#!* and call it ice cream, they'll see it for what it is - one in a long series of money grabs that rarely translate into either increased payroll or increased winning.

Really, I see no evidence at all for any of your points. In theory they might be true, but in practice, prove it: 1. Are any season ticket holders actually upset? If they are, I haven't heard about it. 2. Popular seating for the general public? What? How often were any of those seats just sold to the general public? 3. Personally, I think a few empty seats (along with some full ones, which there will be) is better than an empty tunnel. Believe it or not, the Sox aren't morons, they wouldn't have done this if they'll have empty seats. 4. Um. The payroll goes up almost every year. Or are we using Hanger18's definition of payroll (where, for some reason, players you already had don't count)?

LVSoxFan

03-24-2005, 02:29 PM

wrigley's cost 250, and no wait service
comiskey's 200 (as low as 175) with wait service, and buffet(the high priced kind) and booze!
Which one do you want?
Gene

Buffet (the high priced kind). :?:

mweflen

03-24-2005, 04:39 PM

Really, I see no evidence at all for any of your points. In theory they might be true, but in practice, prove it: 1. Are any season ticket holders actually upset? If they are, I haven't heard about it. 2. Popular seating for the general public? What? How often were any of those seats just sold to the general public? 3. Personally, I think a few empty seats (along with some full ones, which there will be) is better than an empty tunnel. Believe it or not, the Sox aren't morons, they wouldn't have done this if they'll have empty seats. 4. Um. The payroll goes up almost every year. Or are we using Hanger18's definition of payroll (where, for some reason, players you already had don't count)?

Well, all I can say is that my opinions are just that - opinions. It strikes ME PERSONALLY as a wrong-headed approach.

As far as increasing payroll, we can go into a discussion of whether inflation of payrolls has kept pace with inflation in ticket prices (they haven't), but I'd rather not since it has been hashed out numerous times in a plenitude of threads.

Fake Chet Lemon

03-26-2005, 01:47 PM

If the changes result in MORE MONEY FOR KENNY to spend, I'm all for it. There is still plenty in the park for us common fans. If bilking the big corporate honchos means more money for payroll, go for it. You probably can't stop progress anyway.